08/10/06 Two dry bean field days

Bean growers can learn what's new in dry bean development when the University of Idaho and the Bean Commission host a pair of field days next week. The first tour will be held Wednesday, August 16th at the Parma Research and Extension Center from 8 to 10 am. The Kimberly field day is August 17th from 8 to 11 am. Bean breeder Shree Singh says there will be 16 lines of pinto and great northern beans to see. He is planning to release at least one next pinto and one new great northern variety next spring. One of new pinto beans to be released does change color and gets darker with age but much slower than other beans. SINGH "Something that could maintain the color for one year, two years until it is sold, that will be the best." In Parma, visitors will be able to tour the Western regional bean trial of 30 pintos, great northerns, blacks and pinks and the Cooperative Dry Bean Nursery of 30 beans representing all market classes. In Kimberly, they`ll learn about on-farm breeding for sustainable production of beans that demand less water, fertilizer and pesticide and are more competitive with weeds. He has new pinto varieties that stand upright, making for easier harvest. Voice of Idaho Agriculture Bill Scott